Before reading our passage for today I want to share a story I read this week. A father took his little boy to a pet shop to pick out a puppy for his birthday present. For half an hour he looked at the assortment in the window. "Decided which one you want?" asked his Daddy. "Yes," the little fellow said, pointing to one which was enthusiastically wagging his tail. "I want the one with the happy ending." (John R. Brokhoff, Lent: A Time of Tears, CSS Publishing Company, www.eSermons.com, 1984, 0-89536-649-5)
The last two weeks have been emotional for us. We first looked closely at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as God’s Sacrificial Lamb rather than as the people’s Warrior King. Then we took an uncomfortably close look at Jesus’ suffering for us which began in the Garden of Gethsemane on Thursday Night and was completed at 3:00 PM on Friday on the Cross. Today, thankfully, our focus is on the very happy ending to this difficult week! Read Passage . . .
I. Some things just cannot be ignored (the events of 911 for example). That grabbed everyone’s attention. The Asian Tsunami is an example of an event that happened half the world away yet it still affected us even though it didn’t happen directly too us. Of course good things happen too. Remember Jessica McClure, the 18 month old little girl who had fallen into the well pipe in Midland, TX and was stuck there for 58 hrs? We all cheered when they brought her up safely. These are a few examples of significant events that have grabbed our attention.
The Resurrection of Jesus is the granddaddy of attention grabbing events. There is one thing the world cannot do when it comes to the account of Jesus’ Resurrection; it cannot ignore it. The Stone being rolled away and the Empty Tomb demands our attention as it did these women who wondered about what they had found. What people do then varies. Some choose to not believe that Jesus was really dead and therefore wasn’t really resurrected; others claim someone stole the body to fake a resurrection, some even say it’s just a wonderful story we Christians have made up. But, still the world can’t make it go away. It is such an incredible story that it demands our attention and it demands a verdict; was Jesus resurrected? Is He really alive today?
Before Jesus was resurrected, He died as our sacrificial Lamb. The Bible says that, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In his book, Next Door Savior, Max Lucado tells a human story of love like this. “A man had been injured in a fire while attempting to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn’t get to them. They perished. His face was burned and disfigured. He mistakenly interpreted his pain as God’s punishment. The man wouldn’t let anyone see him – not even his wife. She went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told the woman not to worry. ‘I can restore his face.’
The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would again. Then why her visit? ‘I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him! If I can share in his pain, then maybe he will let me back into his life.’ Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by this woman’s love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man’s bedroom door, he called loudly, ‘I’m a plastic surgeon, and I want you to know that I can restore your face.’
No response. ‘Please come out.’ Again there was no answer. Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife’s proposal. ‘She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you will let her back into your life. That’s how much she loves you.” This man understood the offer and responded by coming out and letting the doctor help him.” God wants to help you with any deformities of your life. He was disfigured for us in the hopes we would let Him back into our lives. Will you come out of your hiding place today and let him help you?
II. The Normal Response to the Empty Tomb is Skepticism - Verses 1-4a, 9-10
These women had been following and serving alongside of Jesus for a while and had just experienced the events of the week. They were at the Cross helping to take Jesus’ body down but they were not able to finish making His burial preparations because of the Sabbath. Here we see them on their way to the Tomb fully expecting to find Jesus’ body there in order to anoint it for burial. Funerals today give families this one last opportunity to express their love for their loved one too. But, instead of finding Jesus’ body they found the stone rolled away and no-body home.
The U.S. Post Office once had to return a letter addressed to “Christ the King.” The little yellow label they stuck to the envelope read, “Return to Sender. Christ the King – Moved! Left No Forwarding Address. Unable to Forward. Return to Sender; Postage Due - $.25” (Sermon Central) While the women were standing there wondering what was happening they were told by two angels, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!” He has moved.
In Matthews account (28:9-10) Jesus appeared to the women and told them to go and tell the disciples that He was alive; but the disciples thought it was “Nonsense!” (v11) This seems like a strange response. If you were unfamiliar with the story you might expect that the disciples would have been expecting Jesus to be alive; or at least hoping so. But they were not. And, instead of believing the account of the ladies immediately, they needed to be persuaded. Frankly, I think this is a much more believable reaction; for this is an incredible claim! “Are you trying to tell me that the same Jesus we just saw being beaten beyond recognition and brutally murdered and disfigured on the Cross, is now alive? I don’t believe it!” For them it was just too good to be true. For Him to be alive, He would have to have been miraculously resurrected! And that’s impossible! They were skeptical. They wanted to believe it but they couldn’t bring themselves to believe it.
This past baseball season, just in case you haven’t heard, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series! Really! Nobody expected them to come back after being down three games to their dreaded rivals, the NY Yankees, but they did the impossible and won it all. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it myself! “You’ve got to be kidding, right? It’s a hoax? A joke?” I’m a fan (a believer), and I had a tough time with it! Jesus’ Fan’s couldn’t believe it either; the thing they wanted the most, but knew was impossible, had actually happened. God knew they would need more than just somebody’s report; they would need to see Him for themselves. So, over forty days Jesus appeared to his disciples and to hundreds of others witnesses. (Mark 16:9; Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:15, 36, 50; John 20:19, 26,; 21:21)
This is an unbelievable story. It did require a miracle to raise Jesus from the dead. To respond with skepticism is the most normal and understandable response. I know it was for me before I received Jesus and I could not accept it until I saw Jesus for myself. Now, before you call the guys in the white coats to come and take me away, let me explain. I had grown up hearing the Gospel Story, but I had never observed the changed life of a person who had received Jesus until I was in college. There I saw Jesus for the first time in the life of another student. “What is it about you that is different?” I asked her. She told me, “I have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” What did I see in her? I saw the Light of the Life of Jesus (proof that He was not in the tomb) – the Light that she was not keeping under a bushel. Maybe you’re skeptical today because you’ve never seen a changed life. Are you willing to look into the Empty Tomb today?
III. Jesus’ Resurrection Changes Everything - Verses 1-3
The women reported that ”Jesus is alive!” “So What? What difference does it make to me?” you may be asking. Paul tells us the difference it makes in 1 Corinthians 15, (MSG), “13 If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. 14 And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. 17 And if Christ wasn’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. 19 If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. 20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.”
The Gospel without the Empty Tomb is nothing more than a bunch of soothing stories lacking any power to change anything. The Cross without the Empty Tomb is like a Corvette without an Engine. (Sermon Central Illustration) It looks good and it’s all equipped to get you where you want to go in style; but it lacks the power to get you there. Our Faith rests on the reality of the Cross, which demonstrated God’s Love for us and on the reality of the Resurrection, which demonstrated God’s Victory over our sin and the grave.
a. The Power to Raise Jesus from the Grave is the Same Power that RAISES us.
3 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6) If those I use to run with saw me they’d expect to see old, dead, Jim. They’d be stunned to find a resurrected Jim. I didn’t get “religion!” I got Jesus! How about you? Got Jesus?
b. The Power to Raise Jesus from Grave is the Same Power that RESIDES in us.
The power to raise us to new life gives us the power to live this new life. As the Bible says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) I can ask for anything I need from God in Jesus’ Name and I will receive it. I can be anxious about anything and ask God for peace of mind and He will provide it. I can face any trial or life situation with Jesus and He will be with me to help me.
c. The Power to Raise Jesus from Grave is the Same Power that REUNITES us.
“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”
1 Corinthians 6:14 God alone has the power to do it!
1 Thessalonians 4, 13 “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope (those who had not received Jesus when they died so they had not been resurrected from the dead spiritually). 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” A Christian’s burial is an act of faith based upon our hope in our future resurrections. As a farmer who plants his seeds does so in faith, we commit our loved ones to the ground knowing we will see them again. And, as the farmer’s seed must die and be transformed and then come up out of the ground to produce a harvest; those who die in the Lord will be transformed and raised upon Jesus’ return. What makes this all possible is the fact of Jesus’ resurrection. He is alive and He raises us to new life in Him when we receive Him as our Savior and Lord.
IV. The Resurrection is God’s Seal of Approval - Verses 4-8
I have a copy of the Good News Bible for Catholics. It is in Today’s English Version and it has been approved for use by Catholics according to the Imprimatur of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Imprimatur is basically their Good Housekeeping seal of approval. It tells Roman Catholics that this Bible translation is trustworthy. The Empty Tomb is God’s Imprimatur on everything Jesus said and did and promised. By raising Jesus to life as Jesus said He would, God was saying, “I approve this message, and This Messenger!” Jesus is God in the flesh and the Lamb of God sent to be our substitute for our sins, just like He said (verse 7).
Jesus also confirmed the truth of His message. In Matthew 28:9 the Bible says, “Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.” By allowing them to worship Him, Jesus confirmed His Deity for only God alone is to be worshipped. Jesus Himself said to Satan in Matthew 4:9-10, "’All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’"
The women, who were doubting, who had been skeptical, became worshippers when they saw the risen Jesus. This is still how it is today. Those who will look and see that the Tomb is empty, who will wonder about that Light of Jesus they are seeing in those who know Him and who will, by faith, receive Jesus will no longer be doubters and rejecters and objectors – but will become worshippers of Jesus. The stone that is over their dead and dark hearts will be moved away and the Light of the World will come in and make His home with them. Are you a worshipper today?
Something amazing happens when a person chooses to believe in the Gospel and the Empty Tomb and to receive Jesus as his or her Savior and Lord. That person receives God’s Personal Imprimatur; His Personal Seal of Approval – the Holy Spirit Himself; which raises us to new life.
Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” The Holy Spirit is God’s personal brand signifying ownership of a person. Have you been sealed for eternity? Have you been resurrected from the dead spiritually? Do you have your personal eternal retirement account in Heaven waiting for you?
V. The Stone Rolled Away is Evidence that Demands a Verdict - Verse 12
In verse 12 we see Peter, having been challenged by the woman to believe that the stone had been removed and that Jesus was alive, running to the Empty Tomb, bending over and looking inside he sees the strips of linen and wonders to himself about what had happened.
He was probably cautiously optimistic; not wanting to deny Jesus again, but hoping that maybe Jesus was alive. He was being challenged to believe what the women had told Him, ”Jesus is really alive?” Ray Vander Laan in his Faith Lessons Video series on the death and resurrection of Jesus says, “Jesus’ resurrection proclaimed God’s power over everything – Roman soldiers, the Cross, even physical death. But it’s not enough to believe Jesus is alive. We must also live like we believe it. Are you living like Jesus is still in the tomb? Are you trying to get though life in your own strength, or relying upon God’s?” Belief in the Jesus Resurrection is not enough! We must receive Jesus! Is God calling you to believe that He is alive today?
After Jesus met the women He told them to “Go and Tell” the disciples that He was alive. As Ray says, “We are to be God’s instruments in the world today telling everyone that the stone has been rolled away; that He is alive and we know that He is alive because He is alive in us.” Who, specifically, has Jesus told you to go and tell this story too this week?
(Sources: “Faith Lessons on the Death and Resurrection of the Messiah,” by Ray Vander Laan; The NIV Application Commentary on Luke; Sermon Central Illustrations)
